A doctoral candidate failed their comprehensive exam. Most schools let you retake it after a few months or a year, and many successful academics failed theirs too. The setback is temporary if you learn from it and try again.
If you don't pass, it's not the end of the world. Most places are reasonable and will allow a second attempt. Typically though, it's not like next week. It's months down the line, 5, 6 months. And there are some schools that only allow this to happen once a year. It's okay. You learn from it and you move forward with it. It's not a straight line. It may look like it from the rearview mirror. Oh, I entered and it was 6 years later, 4 years later, I was done. Well, there were ups and downs. And this might be a temporary down, but it might lead to a big up in the long run. Does not mean a lack of intelligence. It may just mean you weren't prepared for it properly. I know a number of people who have PhDs, accomplished academics, who did not pass their comprehensive exam the first time. I've also worked with a number of people to prepare for their comprehensive exams. If you're interested, become a member of our Dissertation Help Group.
